Methods are proposed which automatically set wireless communications parameters such as the network identifier (SSID), encryption methods, encryption key, authentication methods, and authentication key, which are said to be troublesome for users to set. Regarding automatic wireless LAN settings, for example, a method for transferring wireless parameter settings for an access point (relay station) and station (terminal) safely and automatically from the access point to the station by simple operations has actually been implemented as a product.
Also, in carrying out wireless communication, products which assume various forms of usage have been implemented, including direct wireless communications (ad hoc communications) with specific or unspecified partners without an intervening access point.
Detailed methods for secure data communications have been proposed because wireless parameter settings include network security information. For example, whether or not data transmission is permitted is determined based on the attribute values attached to the data, as well as on access policies. Also, when receiving data, whether or not the data can be stored is determined based on the attribute values and policies. If it is possible, the received data is stored. In this way, Patent Document 1 describes a secure data storage operation.
Also, proposals have been made in order to address the need to control the information to be distributed, either on a per-user basis or according to the place of use. Patent Document 2 describes a system in which a management apparatus which has setting information (profiles) compatible with a plurality of networks provides information to each terminal according to the user of the terminal or the place of use, so that the user can make a desired connection using the setting information without being conscious of the network.
Incidentally, Patent Documents 1 and 2 are as follows.
Patent Document 1: U.S. Publication No. US-2003-028810 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-051857)
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-020112
The above technique makes it possible to store safe data and to switch communications parameter setting information from one user to another on the network managed by the management apparatus described above. However, with future increases in the need for communications on unmanaged networks such as ad hoc networks, forms of communications will become complicated, and it will become necessary to exchange communications parameter setting information in multiple operation modes between specified wireless communications apparatusesapparatus or between unspecified wireless communications apparatusesapparatus. In that case, although from the viewpoint of security the user wants to control the way he/she stores the communications parameter setting information, such as permanently or temporarily, according to the operation mode, currently the switching of the communications parameter setting information is left to the user's manual control, which has involved a complicated operation. Also, there have been problems in terms of security and operation. For example, the user may forget to erase temporary communications parameter setting information and continue to use it.